


Galas Suck

by dottie_wan_kenobi



Series: Batfam Stocking 2019 [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Bruce Wayne is a Good Parent, Classism, Dancing, Father-Daughter Relationship, Gen, POV Bruce Wayne, Platonic Relationships, Stephanie Brown & Duke Thomas Frienship, Wayne Gala, kind of. bruce has some questions about that., the other batkids are mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 20:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21981391
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dottie_wan_kenobi/pseuds/dottie_wan_kenobi
Summary: When she doesn’t respond, he looks down to her face, finding her staring in the direction of the doors they came in through. “Something on your mind?”He’s really asking,why did you come and get me?If it’s just nerves, she would’ve been better off with one of the others. No, it must be something else.Steph blinks, turning her gaze upwards. Never one to back down, she meets his eyes long enough for him to see she’s not in any distress, at least. “Just thinking.”“About?”“I don’t know,” she mumbles. “Everything. Nothing.”------------Written for the Gen Batfam Christmas Stocking 2019, for the prompt "Wayne Gala"
Relationships: Duke Thomas & Bruce Wayne, Stephanie Brown & Bruce Wayne
Series: Batfam Stocking 2019 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1581574
Comments: 10
Kudos: 172
Collections: Batfam Christmas Stocking 2019





	Galas Suck

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AlmondRose](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlmondRose/gifts).



> Happy holidays, sqoiler!!! I hope you enjoy! <3
> 
> [this is the dress Steph is wearing](https://66.media.tumblr.com/b6d495e57f83f6ff50147a024a6c5c07/f6252eeede902580-35/s500x750/e27a054518c481f46de190e66e27bf7ed429a042.png)

“I’m stealing you,” a voice announces over his shoulder. It’s a voice he recognizes, one that belongs to Stephanie. Bruce turns around, totally unconcerned about the people he’d just been talking to. Sure enough, Steph is standing there, dressed up more than he’d ever seen before. Her dress is purple, a more subdued shade than her old costume. There aren’t any shoulders, but long sleeves cover her arms, and a built-in belt sits high on her waist, just under where the neckline dips. There’s a slit for her leg in the flowing fabric, which brushes the ground. 

He recalls that when the children were discussing what they’d be wearing to this event, Damian mentioned how low the temperature can get in an effort to not overheat everyone. She and Dick had commiserated about fashion and how sometimes looking fabulous is worth freezing to death. 

Hmm. He’ll have to watch out and make sure she doesn’t get too cold.

Stephanie looks behind him for a moment, eyes falsely wide. She plays the naive debutante role very well. “This isn’t important, right?”

“No, not really,” Bruce says, even though it kind of is. One of the people he’d been speaking with scoffs, but he ignores them and steps towards her. She usually doesn’t interact with him unless she wants or needs something—clearly his attention needs to be aimed at her right now. These society people and their business can wait. “What’s up?”

“Let’s dance.” She doesn’t wait for a response, just grabs Bruce’s wrist and tugs him out onto the dance floor. It’s been set up between the tables, but there are less people dancing than ones standing around the edges of it, talking and sipping at champagne. There’s a band on a small stage playing classical songs that are always played at these stupid galas, and luckily, they’re beginning a new song just as Bruce and Stephanie reach the floor.

It’s like dancing with Cass—they assume the position for a waltz, a few inches of space between their bodies. She’s taller than his daughter, and while it doesn’t quite put him on the wrong foot, it does make their dance feel unfamiliar. Thankfully, her presence in his life has been increasing over the past year, enough that it’s not uncomfortable.  _ Thankfully _ , he thinks with what can only be described as fond exasperation.  _ When did that happen? _

“So,” Steph says once they’re moving around the dance floor. People are staring. Everyone wants to know who the new kid with the Waynes is. He’ll have to have Damian make a post on social media about her to clear up her relationship to the family. “This is a gala.”

_ But what _ is  _ her relationship? _ he wonders. She’s not quite just a family friend anymore. But he’s not her dad. Not really. Her mom is alive and well, occasionally contacting him with concerns and questions. Boundaries with Steph and her mom and himself are very firmly set—boundaries with Steph and the kids are not. Dick is already big-brothering her. “Yes.”

“My first.”

“I’m aware.” She must be feeling nervous, he surmises. Her eyes are flitting every which way. Though, why she’s coming to him and not Cass, he’s unsure.

“It’s…not like what I expected it to be. I’ve always heard Tim complain about them, but I don’t know, it’s not as terrible as he made them out to be? But on the other hand, I haven’t talked to many people yet. They’re probably all judging me, aren’t they. Ugh.” She rolls her eyes. “Hey, what rich person insult will piss them off the most?”

“You’d be better off asking Duke that,” Bruce says. Or Jason. But Steph and Jason haven’t, as far as he knows, bonded much. Met a few times, yes. Talked shit about him for several hours one night, yes. But bonded over anything but that? No. He isn’t sure they’ll get along if the conversation is about something else, even with their similar backgrounds.

“I just figured since you’re, ya know, a rich asshole, you’d know which one is best. If I heavily imply I think they’re overcompensating with their big houses and cars and shit, will someone actually turn red with rage? Because seriously, I would love to see that.”

Bruce takes a moment to consider it, eyes sweeping over the other people in the room. He skips over his children, focusing more on the insecure men and women that Steph could easily take down a notch. Not wanting to be overheard by the others on the dance floor, he tells her in an undertone which ones are the best targets. 

She listens attentively, a grin widening on her face with every new name. When he’s done, she says, “Thanks! I’m gonna need those in writing, though. Don’t wanna forget.”

Unsure if she’s joking or not, he leads them into a turn. “Just remind me after we’re done here and I’ll get you a more complete list.”

“Cool.” They dance for a few more moments in silence, both of them noticing how close some of the other dancers are getting. Rather loudly, Steph clears her throat. “They really think they’re being subtle, huh?”

Amused, Bruce glances at the faces around them. Everyone hears her words, and while a few seem undeterred, most pale at being caught, moving away in a very obvious manner. “Curiosity makes the cat brave,” he quips, repeating a sentiment Cass shared with him recently. When she doesn’t respond, he looks down to her face, finding her staring in the direction of the doors they came in through. “Something on your mind?”

He’s really asking,  _ why did you come and get me? _ If it’s just nerves, she would’ve been better off with one of the others. No, it must be something else.

Steph blinks, turning her gaze upwards. Never one to back down, she meets his eyes long enough for him to see she’s not in any distress, at least. “Just thinking.”

“About?”

“I don’t know,” she mumbles. “Everything. Nothing.”

“Hrn,” he replies, a gentle reminder that he’s listening and she can keep going. 

“It’s just—why did you even bring me here, B? I stick out like a sore thumb. It’s so obvious everyone here is judging me and probably think I’m with Tim or something,” she makes a face to show just how unappealing that sounds. And honestly, Bruce has to agree, knowing that the two work much better as friends than partners. “And I don’t even know why I asked if they’re judging me, because I know they are! I heard someone ask if I was another one of your charity cases! They know I don’t belong here. And I know it too, so—”

“Stephanie.”

“—so  _ why _ ?”

“Because,” he says, lowering his voice as the music stops. He doesn’t want anyone overhearing this. “Because you are a family friend, at the very least. You’ve helped save my children’s lives as well as my own. You deserve to be here with the rest of us. If you want to go home, I’ll happily call Alfred to come and get you, but can I tell you what I think?”

“What?” She asks, sniffling quietly. Her eyes are wet but she’s not crying. To anyone else, her eyes would just look a little shiny, probably from all the twinkling lights.

“I think you’ll have more if you stick around and help me subtly insult all of these assholes.”

A surprised laugh bubbles out of her, and she leans forward, her forehead resting on his chest. He pats her back, letting her calm down without having to worry about people seeing. 

Spotting Duke sitting by himself at a nearby table and hoping that’s all that needs to be said, Bruce taps her shoulder and asks, “Why don’t we go sit down and eat, hm?”

Pulling away, Steph exhales loudly and says, “Yeah, okay. As long as I get to actually eat something, I mean. Tim always said the portions are way too small.”

Together, they walk to where Duke is sitting. When he sees them, he grins and stands, meeting them both with hugs. Hugs from Duke are a more common occurrence than from any of the other kids except Dick and Cass.

Bruce makes sure to hold on until Duke is ready to let go, having heard the sentiment from Alfred once and internalizing it. It’s made it easier to handle hugs—though still a little uncomfortable, they’re nice. Really nice. 

“Hey kid,” Steph says, slinging her arm over Duke’s shoulders. 

Duke leans obnoxiously into her side. “I’m only like 3 years younger than you, you know.”

“Eh, details,” Steph replies. “Anyway, we were gonna eat. You hungry? Wanna join us?”

“Hell yeah,” he says, grinning. “I wasn’t sure how to get something to eat, so I was like, just sitting around hoping someone would come and help me.”

“Your pouting was very potent,” Steph tells him. “I think Bruce saw it and almost combusted with a need to be fatherly and stuff.”

“Here, I’ll show you both,” Bruce says, steering them towards the bar where orders are taken. Duke has been with them for a year now, but they haven’t exactly discussed the father stuff. Other than a few times where Duke has accidentally called him dad—and good god, did that always make Bruce flush with happiness and pride—the only thing Bruce knows for sure is that Duke misses his real parents and still occasionally looks for them.

Standing between them, he can’t help but notice the looks people are giving all three of them. This event was supposed to be a more casual one, hence the bar, but the people Bruce is forced to invite are some of the worst and most judgmental assholes he’s ever met. They’re used to Duke by now, but Duke plus Steph is clearly too much for them. He glares back, trying to seem stoic and protective rather than pissed off.

They look away. Good.

The kids chat as they walk, and chat some more once they have their meals and are seated at a table near where Cass and Dick are dancing. Damian spots them and immediately makes a beeline to the empty chair, stopping long enough to set down his drink before going to get something to eat for himself.

Bruce takes a sip of his drink, eyeing Stephanie. She seems calmer now that she’s not alone, but he’ll have to keep checking on her. The night is going to wear long, he can already tell, and he doesn’t want her to keep feeling so out of place, so judged.

He joins in on the conversation, which has somehow turned to Pokemon, and for a while, he and three of his kids—or whatever Steph is to him—just talk and eat. It’s surprisingly relaxing, considering where they are. 

Eventually, though, it comes to an end. Dick and Cass come by, Dick only sticking around long enough to steal something off Bruce’s plate before he goes to find Tim. Cass, however, holds out her hand to Steph, who gleefully takes it. Before leaving, she turns to Bruce and sticks out a closed fist. “You’re cool sometimes, I guess.”

Pretending to be exasperated, he fist bumps her. “Thank you. Now go have fun, hm?”

She hesitates for a moment. Then, “Hell yeah,” and his girls are gone, grinning happily and dancing.


End file.
